It's no secret that the
Paris 2024 Olympics is the most highly anticipated event this coming July 2024, both in the city itself and the rest of the world. The upcoming global sports event marks the first edition post-pandemic, making it one of the biggest events Paris will see in a long time. Nevertheless, the French capital still has a lot more in store for the coming month than just the Summer Olympics. There's also Bastille Day on July 14, for example, one of the most important French national holidays. The Paris Plages will also be back, albeit in different locations, next month.
Paris l'Été Festival (Begins on July 3)
Paris l'Été, or “Paris in the summer,” is a series of events held throughout the city of Paris. From free concerts and outdoor dance festivals to open parties and sometimes, even a circus, the season-long event livens up the French capital during the hottest time of the year. Typically, the festival starts around mid-July, often after Bastille Day. But since Paris is hosting the 2024 Summer Olympics, the events will begin as early as July 3, 2024. Various
neighborhoods in Paris will participate in the summer festival holding big and small events that will excite and entertain locals and tourists alike.
Paris Fashion Week - Haute Couture Autumn 2024 (July 3 to 6)
Paris Fashion Week will also begin on July 3rd this year. The city's bi-annual haute couture weeks typically happen around late January and late July. In 2024, however, the fashion industry pushed the event up because of the Paris 2024 Olympics later in the month. So from July 3 to 6, 2024, the biggest
haute couture houses will present their autumn-winter 2024 collections. Not to be confused with ready-to-wear shows, these presentations will feature the brands' latest haute couture designs; exclusive lines that only their private clientele can have access to. Expect the biggest celebrities to wear some of the most show-stopping looks on the red carpet too.
Paris Plages (Begins on July 6)
Surprisingly, the Paris Plages will open this July 2024 too. These man-made makeshift “beaches” are part of the city's plan to help locals (and tourists) cool down during the height of summer, which is usually around July. This year, however, the Paris Plages will move to different locations in the city. The most famous is usually by the Seine River, but since the
Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony will take place there, the beach will instead be along Canal Saint-Martin in the
10th arrondissement. The one by Bassin de la Villette will still be there too.
Firemen's Balls (July 13 to 14)
Don't underestimate the Parisians' ability to party anywhere! Every year, they set up the biggest raves in the local fire stations, of all places. They're known as the Firemen's Balls, held every weekend before Bastille Day (July 14). Don't worry! The parties are usually held in the outdoor areas of the stations, maintaining proper safety despite all the festivities. So if you want to let go and have a good time, you can! They play mind-numbing EDM, serve champagne, and free-flowing beer is available too. The Firemen's Balls are some of the biggest parties Paris holds every year.
Bastille Day (July 14)
Before all the Olympic hoopla officially starts, Paris still has one major holiday to celebrate—
Bastille Day. Held every July, it's the
most important national holiday in France, akin to the Independence Day holidays of other republic countries. The holiday marks the storming of Bastille on July 14, 1789, widely recognized as the official start of the historic French Revolution. The celebrations are usually marked with a military parade, a solemn ceremony by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe, and a speech given by the French president. Don't forget about the many holiday parties held throughout the city too!
Tour de France Grand Finale (July 21)
The 2024 Summer Olympics isn't the only highly anticipated sports event Paris is hosting this July 2024. The city will also hold the annual Tour de France Grand Finale on July 24, 2024, two days before the Olympics officially start. The race has already started as of this writing, taking place in various parts of the country. But on Bastille Day, July 14, the race will be nearing its end, starting in the grand
Château de Versailles. The month-long competition will then culminate in the French capital ten days later, including a few final laps around the Arc de Triomphe.
Paris 2024 Olympics (Begins on July 26)
Finally, there's the much anticipated Paris 2024 Olympics, beginning with its grand opening ceremony on July 26, 2024. The event marks the first time the iconic ceremony will take place outside, set to be held along the Seine River instead of the usual big stadium. As for the upcoming games, many of the
most famous Paris spots will also serve as official venues. From the Eiffel Tower and Hôtel de Ville to the Grand Palais and yes, the Seine River too, the month-long global sports event will highlight the French capital in all its glory.
Are you ready for the biggest July in Paris in a long time? All eyes will be on the French capital next month! The Paris 2024 Olympics will be what many would be tuned into this July 2024, but the city has a lot more in store for the entire month too.
